Where We Went Wrong
by Midnight Lion
Summary: A story in the K.S. Shepard universe, companion piece to Katydid taking place both before and after that story.  Exploring and explaining where things went wrong between Shepard and Ashley Williams.
1. Past: Medicine Man

**Past: Medicine Man**

It was just like Shepard to pull Ashley aside in a highway as though all he wanted was to say hello. To hear her informal opinion on how reconstruction efforts were coming along. Instead of saying anything though, he'd given her a long, slow kiss. With everything finally over, the Reapers gone for good, Shepard was more open with his affection. Clearly, he was no longer worried about the consequences of people finding out he and Ashley were involved. She should have been glad, relieved even, but Ashley knew the comfortable patterns she and Shepard had fallen into could only be temporary.

_He's going to leave the Alliance,_ she thought unhappily. _He's going to go start a farm—ranch—somewhere. He's going to want me to go with him._ She wasn't ready to quit the Alliance. The Williams name was no longer blacklisted; Ashley planned to rise as high as she could. It wouldn't make any sense for her to walk away. Not when she finally had a chance to make something of herself.

She wouldn't end her military career. Shepard knew her; he had to have guessed that she would nix any plan that required her to leave the Alliance. He wouldn't ask her to do that, would he? Or did he think that she was the kind of person who'd abandon everything important to her because she was in love?

No, he wasn't like that. Ashley nearly pulled away. Even though Shepard _was_ the kind of person who would give up everything for someone he loved, she got the feeling that if she asked _him_ to stay with her—with the Alliance—he would say no. That left a long-distance relationship as their last option. Ashley wondered if she and Shepard could function the way her parents had. Was she willing to see him only during leave time? To be tied to him while she lived a life almost completely separate from his? Would they wake up one day resenting this relationship?

She didn't know. _It wouldn't be so different from the two of you both being in the Alliance but being assigned to different squads, _part of her mind pointed out. _Except that this way we wouldn't even have the Alliance in common anymore. _

She didn't want to think about it. To distract herself, Ashley tried to make their kiss last as long as possible.

Shepard pulled away to smile at her. The expression on his face made it easy for her to imagine that he would be perfectly happy if the universe would just let them stand there looking at each other for the rest of their lives. When Ashley leaned forwards for another kiss, he moved his head back, his smile not wavering a centimeter.

"Ash," he said quietly, "Ash, I—"

She did kiss him then, if only to keep him from ruining everything with the wrong words. Eyes closed, she made a pointless wish, hoping that he would forget about talking. Forget about how he wanted to change things. But he pulled away again.

"Ash—"

"No. I don't want to hear it, whatever it is. Not—Please, not now, all right? Just promise me: no promises. At least for a little while." She looked at him seriously, willing him to understand, to keep things they way they were if only for a few days longer. Comprehension passed over his face, and the smile slipped away.

"Okay, Ash." He touched his forehead to hers, his shoulders rolling forwards in acceptance and defeat. "Okay."

* * *

><p>It was an afternoon just over two weeks later when Shepard took her aside in another hallway and pulled a three stone diamond ring out of his pocket.<p>

He'd explained that he'd started searching for the right stones partway through the invasion because he'd needed to have something good to look forwards to. He had told her that the two little diamonds were pink even though she hated the color because he couldn't look at pink and white Pheonix armor without thinking of her. He'd admitted that he was leaving the Alliance and that he wanted her to come with him, but he told her that he didn't expect her to. He had even said that he would wait as long as she wanted to wait, but he didn't want to leave without having some kind of tangible link to her. All he wanted was a promise.

Ashley knew enough not to look him in the eye; if she saw him smiling at her, she'd never be able to say no.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note:<strong>__ An incredible amount of thanks and praise to my amazing beta-readers Telemachus78 and Tryvozhna (both wonderful writers in their own right… check them out!), without whom this story would have been unreadable. _

_The inspiration for this piece struck while listening to the song 'Where We Went Wrong' by the Hush Sound. As such, after the writing was finished, I looked to songs by the band to provide the titles for chapters in this fic as well. You should know by now that with me you can't get away from the music.  
><em>


	2. Present: Crawling Towards the Sun

**Present: Crawling Towards the Sun**

Shepard stood alone in front of the memorial, head half-turned so that he could both read the names etched on the glass and keep an eye on the two children weaving in and out of the granite and glass memorial pillars. In his hand, he held a bunch of sweet-scented Copper Queen flowers, native to Mindoir. Clara's favorite.

For some reason, even though he came back every year to visit with them all and let his family know he hadn't forgotten the first people he'd loved, Shepard could never find his first girlfriend's name on the memorial as easily as he could find the names of his parents and sister. He'd even written down which pillar Clara's name was on last year, assuming it would help him. Of course, he had lost the paper in the intervening year. He suspected it had fallen victim to Arthur's need for drawing paper the afternoon his son had turned Shepard's small home office into a studio.

Putting a finger on the memorial to hold his place, Shepard turned to watch his children. He'd made them stay close by and listen as he told them a little about the grandparents and aunt they would never meet—Kate was already older than Willa had been when she'd died—but he had let them go now. Kate chased a gleeful Arthur through the memorial, adjusting her own speed so that her little brother thought he was outrunning her because of his skill.

"Slow it down, Katydid," Shepard called as the two veered uncomfortably close to one of the pillars. "If you fall and crack your skull open, your mo—" He caught himself and changed what he had been going to say. "If you fall and crack your skull open, you're going to be in more trouble than you've ever been before." Kate glanced in her father's direction and waved. _Sure, Dad. Whatever you say._ Despite himself, Shepard laughed. The warning had sounded hollow even to him. It had always been the threat of their mother that frightened his children into behaving.


	3. Past: Hourglass

**Past: Hourglass**

Ashley glanced at the clock, feeling like a coward. She'd looked up the local time for Avilion a few hours ago, and knew that Shepard would probably be asleep right now. It wasn't like his insomnia was still as bad as it had been back when—

Turning back to the computer, she took a deep breath and hit the 'Call' button. After a few moments, Shepard's face appeared on the screen in front of her. It took all of her willpower not to hang up before he started speaking.

"You've reached Shepard at—" _Pre-recorded away message. Right. Calm down, Williams._ How many times had she rehearsed what she was going to say? Even with all her practice, Ashley was unprepared when the screen went blank for her to record her message.

"Hello, uh, hey." She coughed and started again. "Hi, Skip—Shepard. Just calling to check in." That was a lie.

"Sorry, that's not totally true. Look, I _just_ got told by the local brass that they sent you a notice a few weeks back when our shuttle got shot down. Guess you're still on my notification list. Anyway, I don't think anyone ever told you that we weren't actually shot down; it was some kind of tech failure. Still, it took us a couple days to make it back to an Alliance outpost. I let my family know I was okay right away, but I didn't even think—" Ashley looked away.

"I was a little banged up in the crash," she continued after a moment, glancing down at the crutch she was still saddled with, "but I'm better now. Not as good as I was yet, but I'm better. Be back to normal in no time. Thought that I should let you know, anyway. Don't worry, I asked them to take you off the list. I—uh—" She stared directly into the camera. "I'm sorry… about the mix-up. Um. Bye."

She hit 'Disconnect,' and cradled her head in her forearms, wondering what exactly she'd been talking about in that last bit.

* * *

><p>For some reason he couldn't put a name to—laziness, maybe—Shepard decided not to go for a run that morning. After taking care of the pitifully few cows in the barn, he came back to the house, planning to make a real breakfast for a change.<p>

Walking through the front hallway of the small house, he noticed a blinking glow coming from the living room. _A missed call? Who in their right mind calls people at this hour?_ He made his way to the computer and played the message. Ashley's face flickered into focus on the antiquated call screen and Shepard immediately paused the playback, taking a moment to catch his breath.

Guiltily, he tossed a glance in the general direction of the bedroom, hoping Red was still asleep. It wasn't likely she was up—she couldn't get herself to keep a farmer's hours. Still, he struggled to think of an explanation for his getting a faster-than-light call from Ash at this hour that would appease Red.

Despite the risk, he didn't delete the message. Instead he played it twice, just glad to hear her voice, glad to see her face, and ashamed that he still felt that way. Finally, the dial tone replaced Ash's most recent goodbye, making Shepard feel strangely alone.

_I don't remember getting any message from the Alliance,_ he thought. _I would've remembered someone calling to tell me that Ash was… that she was…. Well, it doesn't matter now. I can't believe I'm still on her notification list._ _After all this time. I wonder if she still—_

He shook his head to clear it and yanked his hand back as it stretched towards the 'Return Call?' button. _Move on, _he ordered himself, finally hitting 'Yes,' when the 'Erase Message?' query appeared on the screen.

* * *

><p>When Red made her barefoot, slightly bedraggled way into the kitchen, she stopped in the doorway a moment, staring at Shepard as he placed two plates piled high with bacon, eggs and slightly scorched pancakes on the table. "Who are you, and what have you done with Kiss?" she demanded teasingly. "The real Kiss is out running a hundred miles through beautiful spring meadows so that he can come back here all sweaty and healthy, decline my offer of toast, and make me feel lazy and inferior." She sat at the table and examined the food. "I like the way you operate though, stranger. Would you be interested in making out with me before my boyfriend gets back?"<p>

Shepard smiled and kissed the top of her head before he sat down. "Want to get married?"

_**Author's Note: **__Once again, a substantial and heartfelt thank you to my betas Telemachus78 and Tryvozhna. If your eyes aren't bleeding, it's because they beta'd the pants off of this story and made it readable._

_If you want to know who Red is and why she calls Shepard 'Kiss,' see _Massive Epic_, Chapter 47. _


	4. Present: That's Okay

**Present: That's Okay**

Kate and Arthur had finally taken pity on their father, although Shepard suspected they had no intention of sitting still for long. Instead of running through the memorial like small masochists hurtling towards a head injury, they sat on a bench, watching the names on the pillars stretch long shadows across the flat paved area near the pillars as Alioth began to set. At first, Kate had pulled her brother into her lap, but Arthur had quickly squirmed away. Whether Arthur was reacting to the discomfort of sitting on his sister's thin legs or asserting his independence as a three-year-old, Shepard couldn't tell.

Regardless, Shepard was relieved that the two of them seemed to have calmed down. He turned his full attention to the names on the memorial, moving slowly from pillar to pillar until he found _Clara Abigail Petersen. _On the same pillar with his family's names. It always made Shepard furious to find her name listed just after _James Mason Petersen_, as though her father was entitled to a claim on Clara even in death. Still, he promised himself that this year he would remember that Clara's name was on the same pillar as the names of the Shepards. _**We**__ were her real family,_ he thought angrily. _Not Mr. Petersen. Us. Me. I loved her._

"Hi, Clara," he said quietly. "Miss you. I'm sorry I haven't told Kate and Arthur about you. I didn't want to confuse them, what with Red—Red left me, you know.

"No, that's not fair. She didn't leave me; we divorced. We just kept fighting. I think we both thought the other one would give in and change their mind about their career, and where the family should live, but in the end, neither one of us was willing to compromise. I feel like it was my fault more than hers. There's nothing wrong with living on Elysium, I guess. She was right about the schools being better out there, at least.

"I just—I just can't be around that many people anymore. Especially not on Elysium. Does that sound selfish? They used to love me on Elysium, but after the Reapers…." Shepard smiled. "Sorry. I didn't come here just so you could listen to me complain.

"Maybe next year, I'll introduce you to Kate—she's so smart, she'd probably have understood about you this year. She would've understood last year, for that matter. But it's hard enough for her and Arthur—he looks so much like my dad, except for that blond hair it's incredible; you'd really like him—it's hard enough for me to explain why Red doesn't live on the same planet as us anymore without bringing other women into things."

He sighed. "I don't know how I'm going to do this. How am I supposed to let them be away from me all summer? _Every _summer. And holidays—I only get half of them. Christmas every other year?

"I know I shouldn't complain; Red could've tried to take them during the school year. Still, summer's coming so fast. I can't imagine being without them!

"Sorry," he apologized again to Clara, bending over to deposit the flowers he'd brought her at the foot of the pillar. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. Maybe I'll come back and visit again while the kids are with Red. Hope you're doing all right. Love you. Miss you." He leaned his head against the glass, looking up, startled, when he felt someone take his hand.

"Hey, Katydid," he smiled. Then he frowned. "Wait. Where's your brother?"


	5. Past: As You Cry

**Past: As You Cry**

He could tell that Red was irritated with him. She pushed her hair behind each ear, tucking the shoulder-length blond strands out of the way before sliding her hands along the length of her hair, collecting it in her right hand, and pulling it over her shoulder. The frequency with which this process was repeated made it clear to Shepard that Red was still angry. Hoping to head off an argument before it could truly begin, Shepard reached across the kitchen table to take her hand. He rubbed his thumb over the engagement ring on Red's finger, trying to coax her into a better mood. Red's eyes stayed glued to the invitation she was addressing as she ignored him.

"C'mon," he wheedled. "Don't go all quiet on me. Tell me why you're mad."

"You know why I'm _upset_." She stressed the word to highlight to Shepard that he'd used 'mad' incorrectly. Both of Red's parents were language and literature professors on Elysium.

"It's a stupid reason to be mad."

"Upset."

"Whatever, Red! It's dumb, and you know it! I'm marrying _you_."

"You want to ask a woman who's not only seen you—but—c'mon, Kiss! I mean, cut me some slack here. I'm not overreacting. Ask any woman, and she'll tell you I'm not overreacting. Regardless of what you think, I _don't_ feel comfortable having Miranda Lawson standing up at the altar with us."

"God, are you listening to yourself? When you say it like that, you make it sound like I want a polygamous marriage! She's only going to be the best man. I haven't even asked her yet. You've met Lawson; she'll probably say no."

"Kiss. She's not going to say no."

"I'm not complaining about you asking Mona to be a bridesmaid, even though every time I see her she slaps my ass instead of shaking my hand like a normal person."

"Okay, what? She hasn't been hitting on you, has she?"

"This jealous streak is _really_ unattractive."

"Screw you." Red pulled her hand away. "Mona is one of my oldest friends. We were all in N7 training together. I thought you liked Mona."

"I like her at a distance."

"She's one of my best friends! We've been through a lot together, and she's one of the few people I trust completely. And anyway, I shouldn't have to justify myself to you."

"But I have to justify myself?"

"Why do you want _her_ to be your best man?"

Shepard sighed, and ran a finger over the place on his nose where the burn scar from Mindoir had been until Project Lazarus had replaced all of his skin. "Look," he said finally. "You want Mona because the two of you served together. You trust her. More than that though, you like her. You're comfortable around her. I—Most of the people I was close to that way are dead. Out of the handful who're left, there are two who look out for me even when I'm not looking out for myself." Shepard looked away and frowned. "Even though I think Miranda will probably say no, the odds of her saying yes are better than the odds of Ashley saying yes."

"You wanted to ask your _ex-girlfriend_ to be your best man?" Red rolled her eyes towards the ceiling and assumed the attitude of a put-upon martyr. "Are you—Why not Anderson? Or that pilot—what's-his-face—Moreau? Even Dr. T'Soni—I mean, at least the asari are all mono-gendered. Why do your top two choices for best man have to be _women_? Why is your number one your _ex_?"

"This is stupid!" Shepard snapped. "Ashley and Lawson are my friends. That's all! I don't have many left, Red!"

"Fine! Ask them both to be your best man for all I care! But I reserve the right to be bitchy to both of them for the entirety of our marriage!"

"Forever's a long time to hold a grudge," Shepard teased, his anger burning away as quickly as it had flared. He folded Red's left hand in his right again. "I bet in twenty or thirty years, the three of you will have a knitting circle or something."

Slowly, Red's lips folded upwards in a reluctant smile. "Don't count on it. I hate knitting."

He smiled and kissed her palm. "Things change."

* * *

><p><strong><em>Author's Note: <em>**_You know who's awesome? _Telemachus78 and Tryvozhna_, my awesome beta readers. Who are wicked awesome, did I mention that? Thank you, you two!_

_Other awesome people: all of you who've been reading/reviewing this. It's nice to see people don't hate me for using this story to completely destroy the OTP of Shepard/Ashley.  
><em>


	6. Present: Lions Roar

**Present: Lions Roar**

"Kate." Reflexively, Shepard's hand contracted around his daughter's, nearly crushing it. She pulled her fingers away, rubbing them and staring reproachfully at Shepard. "Kate, where is your brother?" It took all of his willpower not to start running wildly around scouring every centimeter of the memorial for his son.

Kate examined her father; when she spoke it was in a tone of extreme patience. "Dad. Arthur's fine. He's over on the bench."

Shepard jerked eyes to the bench where he'd last seen his son so quickly that he wrenched his neck. Sure enough, there was Arthur's silhouette, back still to his father and sister as he blithely watched the sunset push shadows through the garden.

"Kate, who's that on the bench with Arthur?"

For the first time, uncertainty edged its way onto Kate's face. "She said she was a friend of yours, Dad. She recognized Artie because he looked just like you when you were little. Except blond, she said."

"Kate, I don't have any friends left on Mindoir," Shepard said tightly, grabbing her hand again and half-running towards where Arthur sat with the stranger.

Shepard's fears made little impact on his daughter. "I'm not _stupid,_ Dad. I wouldn't leave Arthur with someone who was going to _kidnap_ him. Even if he is a pain sometimes," she muttered, struggling to keep pace with her father.

"If she does kidnap him, you realize I'll end up in jail, and you'll have to live with your mother all year."

"Why would you be in jail?"

"Because I'd hunt her down and execute her. Anyone who tried to touch you or your brother, I'd rip them apart." A dribble of biotic energy ran down Shepard's arm, flaring briefly where his hand met Kate's. She stopped walking for a moment and turned wide eyes from their clasped hands to Shepard's face.

"You're scaring me, Dad," she told him.

Shepard mentally kicked himself. _I hate my biotics._ He wasn't sure how much Kate understood about biotics, or what they taught in schools these days, but clearly she knew enough to be afraid. He never discussed or demonstrated his biotic powers these days. There was no need to. More than that, the horrible, irrational fear lurked in the back of his mind that by using biotics he might unintentionally increase the chances that Kate or Arthur would manifest biotic inclination. Whenever he thought about that possibility, Shepard remembered all the terrible things biotics had brought into his life: beatings, prejudice, a military career. Things he couldn't protect his children from.

Despite the sick feeling in his stomach from the fact that Arthur was still sitting alone with a stranger (who, to her credit, hadn't kidnapped the boy yet), Shepard stopped and looked seriously at his daughter. Kate and Arthur knew their parents had been soldiers, but Shepard doubted that they really understood what that meant. Most days, it didn't matter; Shepard had worked hard to forget his military career.

"Katydid, you know I would _never_ hurt you. And I wouldn't hurt anyone else, unless they tried to hurt you or your brother. You and Arthur are the most important people in the world to me. Do you understand?"

Kate examined her father for several long moments, considering what he had said. Shepard forced himself not to look away from her, trusting that Arthur was still all right. "Okay, Daddy," Kate nodded finally. She gave him back her hand, and squeezed his briefly in reassurance: _I still love you_. They rushed the rest of the way to the bench where Arthur and the stranger sat.


	7. Past: You Are the Moon

**Past: You Are the Moon**

Shepard knew that his antsy attitude hadn't made the trip back from the hospital any easier for Red. Although she'd never admit it, he could tell she was exhausted. If they'd been living on Elysium, she would've taken advantage of Rosenkov Material's generous healthcare plan and stayed the extra night in the hospital. Out in the Terminus however, especially on a colony as new as Avilion, medical facilities were rough at best. Red had just wanted to check out as quickly as possible. Since he was eager to bring baby Kate home, Shepard hadn't argued. When he glanced at his wife's drawn face, Shepard wondered if maybe he _should_ have argued. He shook his head to get rid of the guilty thought.

Even though he knew Red hated it when he got overexcited—and almost everything about being alive excited him to some extent after the Reaper War—Shepard could barely contain himself. The only thing that kept him from bouncing his leg nervously was respect for the car. He'd driven Red's car to pick up Red and Kate, since it was more comfortable than his truck. It also meant that he was driving with greater-than-usual focus.

He parked the car under the awning next to the house and slung the duffel bag Red had brought to the hospital over his shoulder before opening the door. "Want me to carry Kate?" he asked. "You look tired."

"You're never going to let anyone else hold her, are you?" Red smiled. "You're right though, I am tired. Feel free to carry _everything._"

Shepard walked around the front of the vehicle and opened Red's door for her. "Whatever you say, boss-lady."

"Oh, don't tempt me." While Shepard carefully unfastened Kate's car seat and raised its handle so he could carry it one-handed, Red made her way to the side door.

"Let's not bring her in that way," he called after his wife. "Into the laundry room? It's her first time coming home."

Red turned to examine Shepard with an expression of perfect frustration on her face. "Really Kiss? I just want to go into the house. Besides, it's not as though the front door is much nicer."

"C'mon, please?" he wheedled.

"Fine." Red rolled her eyes. Just for that though, you're changing her diaper for the rest of the day. Don't even ask me."

"Deal." He offered his free arm to Red. "Walk with me?" He guided her around to the new brick walkway in front of the house.

"Kiss, what did you do?" she laughed in surprise.

Shepard grinned. "You didn't think I'd let you and Kate come back to a home where you have to walk through the mud to get in? Maybe your parents were different, but I remember mine being really big on keeping the house clean…."

"When did you do it? You were with us at the hospital the whole time, weren't you? I remember; you slept in my room. The painkillers they gave me weren't _that _strong. You haven't been in the house yet, have you?"

"No, I was with you the whole time; you're right. I have to admit, I didn't do it myself. I've been talking with Conner Rivers, the builder who worked with me on the house. Remember him? We drew up some plans, and I called him after we got checked in at the hospital. They finished yesterday night. It's completely fine to walk on."

"Sometimes you're just too much. I love it. I love you. Thank you."

"You've been complaining about the yard for so long, I figured as long as we're making one big change…."

"It's beautiful, Kiss, really."

"It's just a walkway right now, but I promise, I'll put grass seed out there soon." Shepard opened the door and held it for Red. "I should be thanking you. Look at Kate. She's perfect. Welcome home, Katydid," he crooned. "We're so glad to have you here." He slipped the duffel off his shoulder and peered down at his daughter. "She's still sleeping. Should I put her in the crib? Or is it better if we keep her down here with us? Would it be all right to leave her in the car seat? I should have asked the doctor…."

"Stop fussing, Kiss. Take her upstairs. I'm going to go lie down on the couch."

* * *

><p>After checking one final time to make sure he had arranged Kate's blanket safely around her, Shepard made his way downstairs. "Red?" he called, cutting through the kitchen to reach the living room, "Do you need anything? I could make some—" He forgot what he was going to say.<p>

"Surprise," she said softly from her seat on the bench in front of an upright piano. Her lips twitched in an embarrassed smile. "Do you like it?"

"Red," Shepard breathed. "Red, it's a piano."

"I married you for your looks, I swear."

"Sorry," he apologized. "I know I must sound like an idiot. It's just, my God, Red. I thought we decided we'd wait and build an addition. We barely have enough room—" Red frowned, and Shepard sat beside her on the bench.

"Why did you get me something? You know, you're the one that did all the hard work of actually having a baby. Not that I don't—I love it. Thank you, thank you." He kissed her before brushing his fingers lightly over the keys.

"And you got sheet music?" Shepard reached for the folder resting on the piano's music rack, but Red grabbed his hand.

"You really like it?" she asked. "Really? I know what we said, but I just wanted to do something special for you."

"I love it; I love it. I don't deserve it, but I love it."

"You do deserve it, because I love _you._" Red placed his hand back into his lap and settled hers on top of it. "You haven't even seen the best part yet. Are you ready?" Shepard nodded, and she reached for the folder of music.

On the music stand was a tarnished brass plaque engraved with the words: _For V.L.S. from K.S.S. with love. 11 April 2154._

"Is that all right? It was just sitting in that storage facility on Mindoir, and I—"

Shepard cut off whatever she was going to say by kissing her. "I don't deserve you, do I?" he asked when they came up for air.

"Probably not," she panted with mock regret. "I'm much too good for you."

"You are," he admitted. "My mom's piano? Red, you're amazing."

"I know," she agreed.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note: <strong>__Yet another thank you to the incomparable __Telemachus78 and Tryvozhna. I owe them a lot for reading this piece over for me!_

_For those of you wondering about the piano; Kiss's mom was a piano teacher back on Mindoir (_Massive Epic_, Chapter 12), and Kiss and his father have the same initials (_Massive Epic_, Chapter 20). And 11 April 2154 is when Shepard was born.  
><em>


	8. Present: Echo

**Present: Echo**

Shepard let go of Kate's hand only so he could scoop up Arthur. He wrapped his arms around his son and pressed the boy's head against his shoulder, closing his eyes to keep from crying. For a few moments, Shepard ignored the rest of the world and reassured himself that everything was all right.

"Down, Dad!" Arthur finally protested, squirming. Although Shepard ignored the request for a moment, he ultimately gave in and lowered Arthur to the ground. The instant his feet touched the ground, Arthur ran off, not moving especially quickly but determined.

"I'll watch him, Dad!" Kate chased after her brother, with such eagerness that Shepard stifled a smile. She was clearly trying to delay the coming lecture on leaving Arthur alone with strangers. _Strangers..._ Shepard hadn't even glanced at the woman who'd been watching Arthur yet. He wasn't sure if he should thank her or—

"I know I sound surprised, even though it's not surprising, but you're a good father. And I've gotta say, Shepard, watching you panic over Arthur like that was adorable."

_It can't be._ Shepard whirled, facing the woman on the bench and really looking at her for the first time.

"Hey, Shepard," Ashley's mouth twitched in the slightest suggestion of a smirk. He knew he must have been staring. He could feel himself staring. He always stared at Ashley. "Long time."

_Only seven years. _Shepard jammed his hands into pockets to keep from running them over his hair. He _didn't_ care how he looked. "Ash—uh, Williams? What are _you_ doing here?"

"Oh, you know. I had some leave time and thought…" she broke off and shrugged. "Remember that last day on the first _Normandy?_ You told me you came here every year to see your family. After you…" _died_, "…I took some of my leave and came to see them for you. Even after you came back, I—I kept coming. Paying my respects, I guess. Looks like we overlapped this year."

Shepard sat down on the bench. "You come every year? Why?"

Ashley shrugged again. "_I'm_ still a marine, Shepard. Once I get into a routine, I stick to it."

"I guess."

The two of them watched Kate talk Arthur into accepting a piggyback ride. "That's not going to end well, is it?" Shepard asked. "Kate, be careful! Don't hurt your back!"

"You worry too much. They're on the grass. Even if they fall, they'll be fine."

"I guess."

They sat in awkward silence.

"You don't have to stay, you know," Shepard said finally.

"I know."

_Then why don't you leave? _

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note: <strong>__An extra thank you to __Tryvozhna, who pointed out a lot of places where this chapter needed help, and then stuck with me until they were better._


	9. Past: Hurricane

**Past: Hurricane**

"There are so many people here!"

"You sound upset."

"Well, I knew Anderson was popular, but still, this seems a little ridiculous."

"Kiss, they're having a retirement party for him on _Bekenstein_. Nothing's ridiculous on this planet. I hear one of the former pyramid players that retired here has a bowling alley in his house that's completely powered by eezo."

"What an incredible waste of money."

"Cheapskate. You're no fun."

"I'm plenty of fun. Kate thinks I'm fun, don't you Katydid?" The nine-month-old baby in Shepard's arms cooed up at him. "See? She thinks I'm fun."

"She's going to be cranky and fussy by the time we leave, you know. I really think that we should have left her with a sitter."

"Aw, c'mon, Red. We agreed, we don't know anything about the babysitting service at the hotel, and I'm going to stay sober and boring, and entertain Kate, and you are going to get completely drunk and embarrass me horribly in front of my friend, mentor, and surrogate father-figure." Shepard glanced around the reception hall. "Oh, and whatever members of the intragalactic press are here."

"_Intra_galactic? Listen to you, you almost sound smart."

"Oh no, are my looks fading? You're not starting to be attracted to my personality, are you? I don't think our marriage can survive that kind of depth."

Red laughed and kissed Shepard's cheek. "You're an ass."

"Watch your language in front of the baby!"

"I thought we agreed that I'd be the bad influence. Let's find our table." Red smiled at the woman sitting behind a table with a list of names and handed her their invitation.

"_I_ thought we agreed that you'd be the tough parent and I'd be the fun parent."

"Fat chance. Once this year of leave is over, I'm going to spend most of my time away, working. You're going to have to be the one to lay down the law. I want to be the fun parent when I'm at home."

"Table seven. Up at the front of the hall," the woman handed their invitation back to Red.

"She's not going to forget you. She won't have a chance. I'll tell her about you every day."

"You're sweet."

"Aren't I?"

"You going to pull my chair out for me?"

"Don't I always?"

"Are you going to hold her all through dinner?"

"The food at these things is always terrible. Kate's really just an excuse not to eat."

"I knew there was a reason you didn't bring her stroller."

"I'm more than just a pretty face. Don't tell anyone."

"Have you seen Anderson anywhere? I feel like we should say hello to him before we settle in too much."

"Yeah, that's a good idea." Shepard stood up and placed the bag with Kate's food, diapers and pajamas on his chair. "Before Kate gets cranky. And the sooner we see him, the sooner we can leave early."

"Oh no. You _just_ promised me that I could get absurdly drunk tonight. We're going to be the last ones to leave." Red smiled and took Shepard's free arm. "In fact, why don't we stop at the bar on our way to find Anderson."

"I don't think—"

"Don't worry, you're not getting anything stronger than an Arnold Palmer. I, on the other hand, am craving _vodka_."

"Whatever you say, boss-lady."

"And don't you forget it, bucko."

* * *

><p>As far as huge social events went, Ashley was surprised to realize halfway through Anderson's retirement party, that despite its opulence, she was enjoying herself. Anderson had been glad to see her, and had insisted on introducing her to all the unbelievably important people seated at his table as "one of the most promising young officers I've ever met." The ex-military members and their spouses seated at the table with Ashley and her date were friendly and kept everyone entertained with stories about Anderson from the early days of his career. As the meal progressed, Ashley realized her face was stuck in a smile; it was a good party.<p>

"I've got to go use the restroom," Ashley said, pushing her dessert plate away. "Be ready to dance when I get back, okay, Greg?"

"Yes, ma'am," he smiled at her as she kissed his cheek.

Although the back hallway was lit the same way as the main room, it seemed darker, maybe because the noise from music and hundreds of guests was muffled. Ashley closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying the quiet.

"_—autumn weather turns the leaves to flame, and I haven't got time for the waiting game._

"_Oh, the days dwindle down to a precious few: September, November. And these few precious days I'll spend with you. These precious days I'll spend with—_"

For a brief instant, listening to the hushed singing, she was back on the _Normandy_ all those years ago, just a gunnery chief leading a relatively uncomplicated life. Then Ashley opened her eyes and felt her calm slip away. _Of all the luck…._ "Shepard?" The commander—civilian now—was sitting on a couch, singing a lullaby to the baby in his arms.

"Shh," he murmured without looking up. "I just got her to go to sleep. I know I promised you we'd stay late, but—"

"Shep—_Skipper._" _That_ got his attention.

"Ashley?" He looked startled, almost sad, but quickly smiled. "No, wait, sorry. I know it's Lieutenant Williams. I always forget that you finally accepted a commission. How are you doing?"

"I—I'm good. Can't complain, anyway. What about you, though? How're you? Who's that?"

"This is my little Katydid." The expression on Shepard's face made Ashley's heart sink a little. She wondered if his wife realized that she would always be second to their daughter in terms of importance to Shepard. "Come over and meet her," he invited.

"Only for a quick second. I've got to use the bathroom." Ashley gave the dark-haired baby a cursory glance, trying not to take in the reality of her. "She's beautiful. But her name isn't really Katydid, is it?"

"Kate Sarah Shepard. The latest in a long line of K.S. Shepards."

"Named after her mother?"

"Sort of."

"Sort of?"

"Well, I named her."

"And you didn't name her after her mother, who just happens to be named Katherine?"

"_I knew her by her angry air/Her brightblack eyes, her brightblack hair… My darling girl, my soldier-Kate—_"

"You're quoting it wrong." Ashley took a step back. "Since when do you recite poetry, anyway?"

Shepard smiled at her again, as though there wasn't a ring on his finger and a _baby_ in his arms. "Before the war, I served on a ship with this marine… she sort of got stuck in my head, like a song I couldn't get over." He shrugged and ducked his head, blushing faintly. "I guess, maybe, she's still—"

"I should go." Ashley fled into the women's room. When she came out, Shepard and his daughter were gone.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note: <strong>__Thanks once again to Tele and __Tryvozhna for making sure that these chapters were readable._

_Fun facts: The lullaby Kiss is singing is actually 'September Song,' by Kurt Weill and Maxwell Anderson. Although I imagine Kiss's singing to sound something like the version sung by Rodrigo Rodrigues, my favorite is the classic sung by Sarah Vaughn. No coincidence then, that Kate's middle name is Sarah, is it? _


	10. Present: Not Your Concern

**Present: Not Your Concern**

Piggyback rides ended when Kate tripped and collapsed in a heap on the ground with Arthur. Both children sprang back up immediately, forestalling Shepard, who'd half risen when they fell. Now Kate and Arthur spun in circles with their arms flung wide. Every so often, they would stop and stumble around the lawn. Kate stopped more often than her brother, checking to make sure he hadn't hurt himself.

"So," Ashley said finally, when it became clear that Shepard wasn't going to speak. "What have you been working on for the last seven years?"

"You're looking at them."

"You're just a stay-at-home dad?"

"_Just_ a stay-at-home dad." Shepard crossed his arms, and Ashley realized that he crossed them right over left, as though he were still trying to hide the scars from Mindoir that had long since vanished. "You sound like Red," he said accusingly.

"Does she not approve of your life choices?" Ashley teased.

"Apparently not, but—No, I'm not having this conversation. Not with you."

"Excuse me? What's that supposed to mean?"

Shepard turned to face Ashley; the resentment in his gaze took her aback. "Why are you here, Williams? What do you want?"

"I don't want anything. I told you I just come—"

"You don't have any ties to Mindoir. It's not your family whose names are on those pillars. It's my family. Mine! Not yours!" Kate and Arthur turned puzzled faces towards the sound of their father's raised voice. Without taking his eyes off of Ashley, Shepard forced the tension out of his shoulders, and tried to smile. He lowered his voice. Reassured, his children went back to playing.

"Am I supposed to believe that you've maintained radio silence for seven years—almost eight, if you don't count those two minutes at Anderson's retirement party—but that you come here every year? That's a load of—It's bunk, and you know it. What do you want? Does the Council want something? The Alliance? I'm done with that life. I live on a tiny ranch on an insignificant colony, and I raise my children. Why is it so hard to believe that that's all I want?"

"Someone thinks highly of himself," Ashley hissed, her temper flaring. "_You're_ the one who was gone when I came out of the bathroom at that stupid party."

"After your retreat made it clear that you didn't want to talk to me!"

"You were introducing me to your _baby_ and _hitting on me_ at the same time! Don't you dare try to make me the bad guy here!"

"Who's flattering herself now? Trying to tell you you're still important to me isn't the same thing as hitting on you. It was nothing! I—I was—"

"Please tell me: what were you thinking? I'd like to know!"

"I don't know what I was thinking!" Shepard glanced towards his children and took a deep breath.

"Bull. You had to have been thinking something."

"I was thinking—For a minute, I just thought—" Shepard could feel himself blushing. He remembered exactly what he'd been thinking. For a minute, he'd pretended Ashley was Red, and he had wanted to stretch out that moment for as long as possible. "It doesn't matter what I was thinking. It was nothing," he repeated.

"Oh really? Did you tell Kathy you talked with me? I bet she wouldn't have thought what you said was _nothing_."

"_Don't you_ bring Red into this."

"Why not? One of us should try to remember that you're married."

"Go to hell, Williams."


	11. Past: The Artist

**Past: The Artist**

Kate had fallen asleep in the living room, head resting on the thin sliver of Red's lap not taken up by her pregnant stomach. From the other side of the couch, Shepard smiled at the picture they made.

"What?" Red asked suspiciously.

"Nothing."

"It's something."

"I just like it when you're home. It'll be nice to have you around for an extra-long stretch after the baby's born." He reached across Kate's body and took Red's hand. "But with a new baby, everything happens so _fast._ A year's too short."

"Careful," Red told him. "That sounds selfish. Heroes aren't supposed to be selfish, Mr. Shepard." Shepard frowned at the word 'hero,' but his wife ignored the expression. "And a year _would_ be too short—if I was taking a year."

"You're taking longer?"

"Not exactly."

"Red, you're not quitting your job, are you? You love your job."

"I'm not quitting my job."

"Well then, what?"

Red shifted slightly so that she could look Shepard directly in the eye. Her size, and Kate's head in her lap, made the process a sensitive one. After a few moments however, she had readjusted herself to her liking, and stared solemnly at Shepard. "Promise you're not going to freak out," she ordered.

He started to fidget, stopping when Red squeezed his hand and tilted her chin at their sleeping daughter. "Wake her up, and you're a dead man."

"Sorry. You're making me nervous."

"It's not bad news. But I don't know if you're going to like it."

"Don't drag it out then."

She took a breath. "All right. Here's the deal. My parents want to sell their house; I want us to buy it. I want you and Kate to move to Elysium."

"Red… we've talked about this before. I'm not going to any of the major colonies. I can't; I hate it there… most of the people there aren't too fond of me, either." Shepard shook his head. "Why would you even ask about this? I thought we agreed…."

"We didn't agree. _You_ decided. I'm not about to give up my job, and I don't think it's fair for you to keep me away from Kate because you don't want to have to face other people."

"I'm not 'keeping you away from Kate.' You could request a transfer to a Rosenkov development branch closer to us, but you're the one who wants to stay on Elysium. I told you before we got married that I'm never moving back into Council space. I gave up too many things in my life because of the damn Council and the Alliance, and protecting people who've never met me and are happy to blame me for all of the terrible things that happened during the war. You've known me since I was nineteen, Red. In all that time did I ever lie to you about what I wanted to do when I left the military?"

"Do you remember what _I_ wanted to do when I left the military? I wanted to be in politics, work for the human Coun—ambassador on the Citadel. But you need to know someone to get a job like that. So I grew up, and got a real job. It was hard to let go of my dream at first, sure, but I got over it. And I'm happy with what I've done with my life! To be honest, Kiss, I love you, but I'm getting tired of waiting for you to grow up."

"Raising Kate and managing the ranch… those are both real jobs!"

"You wouldn't be raising Kate on your own if we moved to Elysium. And there are still plenty of places with open space… you could start a new farm somewhere. The schools are better; my parents are there; it's not depressingly empty land without any neighbors, shops, or _civilization_ for kilometers around. I hate it here, Kiss. I hate being away from you and Kate for months at a time, and I hate coming 'home,' to a place that makes me want to tear my hair out."

Shepard let go of Red's hand. "How long are you taking when the baby's born?" he asked quietly.

"That's not—"

"How long?"

Red lowered her eyebrows, twisting her face into the stubborn expression that usually made Shepard laugh. "Ten weeks."

"Ten weeks? You took a _year_ off when Kate was born!"

"Keep your voice down! Kate was our first. You're an old hand at parenting now. You don't need me around."

"I do need you around; I _want_ you around. Even if I didn't, _Kate_ needs you around. _The baby's_ going to need you around. You can't only be a part of this family when it's convenient for you, Red."

"_Don't_ you accuse me of only being around when it's convenient. _You _are the one who won't leave the Terminus Systems because he's afraid of people being _mean_ to him."

"And _you're_ the one who won't make a change to her precious job to have more time with her family." Kate stirred slightly in her sleep, and Shepard stood up. "I'm not moving, Kathy," he hissed. "Not ever, not for anyone. You knew that when we got married; I can't believe you'd bring it up like this now." Careful not to touch Red, Shepard gently hoisted his daughter into his arms. "I'll go put Kate down, then I'm going to bed. Would you prefer it if I slept down here tonight?"

Red's eyes were a little overbright, hinting that she was hurt, but mostly they were hard and angry. "I think that'd be for the best, don't you?"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note: <strong>__I think by now it's clear that I pretty much can't get over how awesome Tele and __Tryvozhna are. Can you say best beta readers ever? I can!_


	12. Present: Sweet Tangerine

**Present: Sweet Tangerine**

Shepard and Ashley glared at each other.

"Kathy's a touchy subject, is she?" Ashley said nastily. "Fifty credits says she's not along on this little family jaunt. Too bad, I'd _love_ to say hello to her. You'll tell her that I miss her for me when you get home though, won't you?"

"Maybe you didn't hear me before: you don't get to talk about Red! You and I, we're not friends anymore, Williams."

"You've got that right. I'm not friends with self-absorbed, self-pitying recluses."

"And I'm not friends with arrogant marines who think because they _used_ to know you, they know everything about you!" Shepard held up his left hand, spreading the fingers wide, so Ashley could get a good look at the empty stretch of skin where his wedding ring used to be. "You're right about one thing though, Williams. I don't like talking about Red. Divorce is always a touchy subject," he sneered, taking a perverse pleasure in the guilty expression that spread over Ashley's face.

His satisfaction evaporated as Ashley began apologizing. "I—Shepard, I'm sorry. I didn't know. I'm still angry at you, but I wouldn't have—that was below the belt. Oh, God, I'm such a bitch sometimes…."

"Watch your language, Chief," he interrupted reflexively.

"Sorry, sir," Ashley's response was as automatic as Shepard's rebuke.

Shepard and Ashley stared at each other.

_Old habits die hard, I guess._ It had been more than ten years since Ashley had been gunnery chief on the _Normandy_ _SR-1_, with Shepard as her CO. It had been even longer since Kyle and Valentine Shepard had drilled it into their son that swearing, under any circumstances, was unacceptable.

Shepard pulled his shoulders back. "Sorry," he said gruffly, "Didn't mean to give you an order."

"Must be hard, being a civilian. Not being able to give orders."

Something that might have eventually become a smile flickered across Shepard's face. "I give plenty of orders. The only ones who listen are the dogs."

"Dogs?"

"Herd dogs. They're more like extra hands than pets most of the time."

"Hands?"

"Ranch hands. I've got one guy who helps out with the work. He's looking after things at home while I'm here."

Ashley considered Shepard for a minute. "I'm sorry; Shepard, are we not fighting anymore? Because, like I said, I'm still angry at you."

"Good. I'm still angry at you. You promised me that we would stay—After I left the Alliance, it was like I was as good as dead to you. No calls, no vidmails, no emails…." Shepard glowered at the empty space over Ashley's shoulder. "Who treats someone like that?"

"You're a real piece of work, Shepard. Do you remember me saying I was ready to be friends right away?" Ashley pulled her eyebrows together in a familiar expression of aggravation. "You—I—We broke up, and three days later you sit down next to me in the mess for lunch like, what? Like nothing had changed? I don't know about you, but I needed time, and space, and you wouldn't give me any!"

"I'd say that you've had plenty of time. _Nine years?_ You never even responded to a Christmas card… and don't tell me that you didn't get them. We always sent yours to Liara; I knew she'd know how to get them to you."

"Liara? You couldn't find my address so you had the _Shadow Broker_ mail your damn Christmas cards to me? I guess that explains _that_. In all seriousness, Shepard, you can't think of a reason I might not be thrilled to get a picture of your kids every year?"

"I can."

"Why do it then?"

"Why do you come back here every year?"

"You keep asking me that. I already told you why I come here. What do you want me to say?"

"Tell me something that isn't a line, Ash." Shepard turned away from her and stared as far as he could into the semi-darkness. "Tell me—tell me that you come here because you miss… being friends."

"Is that really what you want me to tell you?"

"…No."

"I didn't think so," Ashley said sadly. "We were never just friends, were we?"

"We could be."

Ashley gave a quick and bitter laugh. "Don't kid yourself, Shepard. Just be friends? You don't really want that, any more than I do."

"Yes, I—What?"


	13. Past: Break the Sky

**Past: Break the Sky**

"This is the last place you need to sign."

After a momentary hesitation, Shepard scrawled his name at the line Red pointed to. "Can you believe that we can travel faster than the speed of light, but still have to sign legal papers by hand? In person? On paper?"

"Are you trying to tell me that you don't want to be here right now?"

"Do you want to be here?"

Red smiled. "Part of me is sad, yeah. Mostly though, I'm relieved. I think we'll do better as friends."

"I don't know. We had a pretty good run."

"All good things come to an end." They stared awkwardly at each other across the table. "Do you _feel_ different?" Red asked after a moment. She twisted her face into a simper and batted her eyes.

"Should I? Do you?"

"Oh yeah. I feel like I've dropped about… how much do you weigh?"

"About eighty-seven kilos."

"I feel like I've dropped about eighty-seven kilos of dead weight."

"Funny."

"Aren't I?"

Shepard stood up and slid the divorce papers across the table. "You'll give these to your lawyer?"

"First thing tomorrow," Red promised. "Do you and the kids want to get dinner together?"

"Of course."

Red smiled. "Really?" Shepard nodded. "Shouldn't you be more focused on trying to make them hate me?"

"It's all right," Shepard laughed. "They already love me more."

"Yeah, I know," she said sadly.

"What? Red, I was joking. The kids love you, of course they love you." To his horror, rather than being reassured, Red started crying.

"I—I know. It's just—I barely saw them when we were married, and—and now—"

"Hey, hey, hey." Shepard crossed to Red's side of the table and hugged her. "Now what? Now they'll live with you in Elysium for three whole months every year. You'll still call them every day, the way we've always done. And you can come home—come back to Avilion and see them whenever you want. You're their mother, Red, they're going to want to see you."

"I know," Red said finally. "I know." She thumped Shepard's shoulder weakly with her fist. "Let go of me, Kiss. I'm divorcing you; it's harder when you're being nice to me." After a moment, Shepard let her push him away.

"Do you know—do you remember the day I told you we were done?"

Shepard frowned. "We'd just had another fight about moving."

"That's right," Red nodded. "Artie was just over a year old? Just starting to talk? I never told you this, but before the fight, I'd been watching him and Kate play in the yard. He—he fell, and he started crying. He called for 'Mama,' and I ran over to him, but," Red took a shuddery breath before continuing, "he kept calling. He kept calling for his mother until Kate got there.

"He didn't think of me as his mother. It was too much."

"Why didn't you tell me that?"

"I did! How many times did I tell you that they barely know me?"

"We could have worked something out."

Red sniffed loudly, and patted Shepard's cheek. "Not without one of us giving up something we weren't willing to change. This is better. This way we don't have to resent each other."

"I guess."

Taking a step back, Red wiped her face with the backs of her hands. "C'mon, Kiss, tell me that there's not a little part of you that's relieved to be out of this marriage."

"Do you _want_ me to be happy about this?"

"I plan on being happy. Why shouldn't you be happy, too? Go find someone—Go find a way to be happy." Red managed a watery smile. "But hey, this is just some free advice from your ex-wife. Take it or leave it. C'mon. Let's pick up the kids. Where do you want to eat?"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note:<strong>__ I have to make it count, because this is the last note, but thank you, thank you, thank you, one thousand times to Telemachus78 and Tryvozhna for beta'ing this piece. It was a concept that was bouncing around my head that wouldn't have ever made it into the world without you guys!_

_Chopper1111: (couldn't message you about your review) Hadn't heard that Adele song, but now I can't stop listening to it. A song with a similar vibe is "Happy" by Saving Jane, though the Adele song is much prettier._


	14. Present: Pretty Down to Your Bones

**Present: Pretty Down to Your Bones**

Shepard turned back to face Ashley. "What do you mean; you don't want to be friends?"

"What do you think I mean?" The shy half-smile on Ashley's face made Shepard hold his breath for a moment.

"I—"

Kate ran up and placed her hands on Shepard's knees. "Dad, Artie's hungry. I think we should go."

Suddenly, Shepard was snapped back to reality. Talking with Ashley, he forgot that he was a single _father,_ not just single. "_I_ think you're interrupting," Shepard told his daughter. "What do you say?"

"Excuse me."

"That's better. Can you apologize to Lieutenant Williams?"

"It's Commander Williams, actually, Skipper."

Kate looked sharply at Ashley. "What did you say?"

"Um…" Ashley glanced at Shepard. "I told your dad that I'm a commander, not a—"

"Not that," Kate interrupted impatiently. "What did you call him?"

"I called him Skipper? It's a nickname for the officer in charge of a ship…."

"Were you in the marines with my dad?"

"I… yes?" Ashley turned to Shepard. "Does she always ask this many questions?"

He smiled. "You have no idea."

Kate grinned. "I _knew_ I wasn't named after Uncle Jeff!"

"Uncle Jeff?" Ashley asked.

"Joker," Shepard explained. "Katydid, did Uncle Jeff tell you that you were named after him?"

"You told me that you were in the Alliance with the third Kate. I asked Uncle Jeff if he knew who called you 'Skipper,' and he wanted to know why, and I told him about mom-Kate, and the poem-Kate, and the third Kate you won't tell me about, and he told me that that was easy, you named me after him."

"Ah!" Shepard leapt to his feet as if he'd been electrocuted. "Kate, what were you saying about Artie being hungry?"

"I thought you wanted me to apologize."

"I—"

"You know," Ashley stood up, and Shepard looked everywhere except at her face, "it's getting pretty late. I should probably go."

"Oh." Shepard could have kicked himself for sounding disappointed. "You're leaving?"

"It looks that way."

Shepard hesitated. "Give me one minute, Ash?" he asked. "Arthur! Come here, Boy-o." Arthur grinned and ran towards Shepard, gleefully jumping into his arms. "Ugh," Shepard grunted as he lifted the boy. Crouching down, he pulled Kate towards him and spoke quietly with his children. At one point, Kate peered suspiciously around her father to examine Ashley.

After a moment, Shepard straightened. Arthur sat in the crook of one arm, and Shepard held Kate's shoulder with his free hand. "Um, Ash…. I, you…." Shepard coughed, and Kate rolled her eyes.

"Would you…. You wouldn't want to… come with us to get dinner… would you?"

"Actually, dinner sounds nice."

"That's what I—Wait, what? Really?"

Ashley smiled. "Really."


End file.
